SPORTS BRIEFS

Agencies

Thu, May 09, 2013 - Page 18

GOLF

Tseng slides to fifth

After losing her top ranking less than two months ago, Yani Tseng of Taiwan continued a slide to fifth place in the LPGA Rolex Rankings on Tuesday after finishing tied for 24th in the Kingsmill Championship. The 24-year-old Tseng, who held the No. 1 spot for 109 weeks, posted a 284 total over four rounds at the Kingsmill on Sunday as American Cristie Kerr won the title for the third time. Tseng, whose average points per tournament dropped from a peak of 18.64 in April last year to 7.69 this week, has not won an event in more than a year and she has not finished in the top 20 in her last six LPGA starts. Suzann Pettersen of Norway climbed two places to No. 3, pushing Tseng down one place and South Korea’s Choi Na-yeon to No. 4 with a points average of 8.12. South Korean Inbee Park, who took the top ranking from Stacy Lewis of the US on April 16 after winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship, is still world No. 1 with a points average of 10.19. Finishing seventh at the Kingsmill, one shot behind Lewis after shooting a final round 67, Park edged the second-ranked player with a slim lead of 1.09 points.

TENNIS

Singapore to host WTA event

Singapore was yesterday named as host of the glitzy WTA Championships in a five-year deal from this year, in a major boost for tennis in Asia. The wealthy city-state beat out rival bids from China’s Tianjin and Monterrey in Mexico for the season finale, which next year will boast a record purse of US$6.5 million. “This is the largest and most significant WTA Championships partnership in our history. It’s a record-breaker,” WTA chairwoman and CEO Stacey Allaster said. The season-ending event features the top eight women’s players and from next year, the eight leading women’s doubles pairs. It will be the region’s second biggest tennis tournament after the Australian Open.

TENNIS

Tomic’s father suspended

John Tomic, the father and coach of Australian world No. 53 Bernard Tomic, has been suspended from ATP events after an altercation with his son’s practice coach, Thomas Drouet, on a street in Spain on Saturday. “Following last week’s incident in Madrid concerning John Tomic and the ensuing investigation, Mr Tomic’s credential privileges have been suspended at all ATP tournaments until further notice,” tennis’ governing body said on Tuesday. John Tomic told a Madrid court on Monday he had acted in self-defence when he headbutted Drouet and the pair were ordered to appear at another hearing on Tuesday next week. “I don’t feel guilty, I didn’t do anything wrong,” John Tomic told reporters. His lawyer, Carmen Dieguez, told reporters that while her client did not dispute that he had caused Drouet’s injuries he had had no other choice as Drouet had grabbed him by the arms. John Tomic could be given a prison sentence of up to three years if found guilty of causing criminal injury.

ICE HOCKEY

Sabres name new coach

Ron Rolston was named head coach of the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, having filled the role on an interim basis after long-time coach Lindy Ruff was fired in February. Previously in charge of Buffalo’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Rochester Americans, Rolston becomes the 16th head coach for the Sabres after guiding the team to a 15-11-5 record in 31 games since replacing Ruff. Buffalo finished fourth-last in the Eastern Conference with a 21-21-6 record, missing the playoffs for the second straight year and the fourth time in six seasons.